ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. object — a thing
  5. shower — to wash
  6. tear — from crying
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. spring — a coil
  13. tear — from crying
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. rash — a series
  16. object — to protest
  17. spring — the season
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. spring — of water
  20. shower — rain
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. object — an aim
  23. rash — hasty
  24. vault — a safe

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com